The Birds and the Bees
by Hawki
Summary: Oneshot: Inside Columbia, Booker found himself thinking about a number of things. His debt. Elizabeth. A giant metal bird that kept following them. And, for some strange reason, bees...


_A/N_

_Something I want to specify from the outset was that this was inspired by a demo of _Infinite _rather than the actual game and ergo, was written before it. Before it was revealed that Elizabeth is actually (spoiler...just in case no-one's aware of it yet). Looking at the actual content however, I didn't find anything too questionable though, so hopefully it's okay to post this without any icky feelings resulting._

_Now if you excuse me, I have a funeral to get to, namely one of shippers mourning the death of their potential OTP. ;)_

* * *

**The Birds and the Bees**

God, this place is fucked up.

I mean, if the bearded bastard exists, he can't help me now. Not in this city in the clouds, proudly declaring itself "one nation above God" (way to be original fellas). Not when half the people of the city seem intent on killing the other half, and when said other half seem intent on killing themselves, with a third half just trying to stay alive. Not when my head is spinning so much that I'm getting basic math wrong. And not when a _giant robotic_ _bird _is leering over me, its claw out, ready to gut me like a stunned mouse.

Like I said, fucked up.

I try to reach for my pistol. It's no use. I can barely move, I can barely see, and even if I could, I doubt the gun would do anything. So all I can do is wait for the claws to come down, to give me a death that might still be more humane than what the Vox Populi are doing the streets below.

"Stop! Stop it!"

_What?_

My hearing is still intact. Odd, considering all the gun and cannon fire that's been going on. But I hear the voice. And as my vision begins to return, I find its source.

_Elizabeth…_

"Stop it don't hurt him!"

The winged demon doesn't listen. I can't blame him.

_Run, kid…I'll be okay…_

Okay, that's a lie. A bad one. As the bird's claw comes down, I suppose my lying, sinful ways are about to be judged.

"I'm sorry!"

And the bird stops. My vision now returned, if not my bodily functions, I meet its gaze. It doesn't keep up the visual contact however, as it turns to Elizabeth.

_Run!_

She can't stay here. She can't be taken back. She means too much to me – if she dies, I'll never erase my debt.

"I'm sorry," she continues, reaching up to its beak as if to stroke it. "I never should have left."

_Aren't birds meant to be the captives rather than the captors?_

I have no idea what this thing is. Or rather, I know what it is, but not what it is from Elizabeth's point of mind. Something so terrible that she outright told me she'd rather die than be taken back, but…

"Take me back."

_Oh fuck no!_

"Take me home," she says, hugging the creature's talons. "Please…"

_No!_

This isn't right. Not now. Not after everything that's happened. Not when I've already rescued her. Not when…well, I guess it must suck to be in that thing's clutches…she made that clear…wouldn't be…nice…to be back with it I guess…women are soft like that…

I try to move. The bird seems to have forgotten about me. Its eyes, once alternating between amber and red, now turn to green. Like traffic lights, really. And like traffic lights, "green" means "go." Or fly. Because that's what it's about to do.

_Shit!_

It scoops up Elizabeth. She reaches down towards me, tears running down her face. I reach out for her, my arm feeling like it's on fire. I can't reach her though. And as the bird turns, I have to bring my arm back down. I can't move. I can only watch as it starts smashing through the wall to take flight again. Polly wants his crackers. Of the concrete kind.

The wall comes down. It spreads its wings. Groaning, I get up. It takes flight.

_Shit!_

Somehow, I will myself to move. Somehow, I will myself to jump. Somehow, I find myself caring enough to _not _give into the voice of sanity, and fling myself down towards the sky-rail to engage in pursuit. All that's on my mind right now is Elizabeth. And the bird.

And for some reason…bees…

Like I said, this place is fucked up.

So am I, I guess.


End file.
